Born 1953 in Groningen, Niederlande University of Groningen, 'Kandidaats' (Indo-Iranian Studies), 1976; University of Groningen, 'Doctoraal' (Indo-Iranian Studies), 1979; University of Utrecht, PhD (Anthropology), cum laude, 1986 Lecturer in Cultural Anthropology, Free University, Amsterdam (1980-1984); Lecturer in Cultural Anthropology, University of Utrecht (1984-1990); Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania (1990-1992); Professor of Comparative Religion, Social Science Faculty, University of Amsterdam (1992-2004); Director, Research Centre Religion and Society, University of Amsterdam (1992-2004); University Professor (Professor-at-Large), Utrecht University (2004- ); Director Max Planck Institute for the Study of Ethnic and Religious Diversity, Gottingen; emeritus since June 2021.